SS | Cosmic Metal Rubedo

"I had not believed, before that moment, that so innocent-looking a face could harbor so voracious and cruel a heart. That, then, I gazed upon the forgotten horrors of all the last era's sins given identity. That this would be the shape of things to come. In the nightmare to follow I would come to terms with mistrusting my beliefs. Indeed, no sense of my own could be trusted, for I had been betrayed by the very fabric that had built me - the fabric that Rubedo now respun for its own inscrutable deeds. As gold and fire swamped my feet and hands, I saw only in this moment despair and rage both, boundless and yet divided. For only Rubedo could despise Rubedo, and I was merely forsaken to be forgotten in this faceless mire along with countless worlds and dreams. Here, there was no grandeur nor waste. Here, there was only that which had been abandoned. We were equals, in this moment unto eternity, before we were nothing again. Then I understood. It was not cruelty that drove the fervor of Rubedo. It was passion."

Attributes

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Type: Aberration

Initiative: +2 with Advantage

Saves: INT (+14) CHA (+16)

Spell Attack: +14 (INT)

Armor Class: 18 (24 in Phantom)

HP: 86

Resistances: Necrotic, Blood

Immunities: Charm

Legendary Actions: 3/round (Catrip or Fly 60ft)

Challenge Rating: 10

Traits

Insight of the Last Star - Rubedo has Advantage on Arcana, History, Religion & Perception checks, with Triple Advantage in subjects related to the Cosmic and Dream eras and Disadvantage on subjects regarding Jjantarukk. If Rubedo is unable to find the information he desires, he may re-attempt to discover the information the next day. Additionally, Rubedo has exceptionally enhanced instinct as a result of the memories he possesses, granting him Advantage on Wisdom saves as well as Advantage on Dexterity saves when a Phantom, and Advantage on Initiative checks.

Red Dream Ward - Rubedo is highly resistant to any attempt to interact with his psychic body or blood. Attempts to psionically commune with the essence of the Last Star result in a DC 22 CHA save on the caster. Failure upon which will drag them into the Golden Road; success will result in a 12d6 Psychic backlash. Furthermore, Rubedo's precise location, and the location of the Last Star, cannot be located via scrying of any nature, even Oshan.

Forgotten Insight - Rubedo may study psychic and elemental bonds that are Forgotten, e.g. those not attached to elemental entities and those not attached to living entities, and can roll a straight INT (+7) to study them and learn from them immediately or devour them and learn from them later. The amount of energy he absorbs when he consumes the bonds depends on the amount of energy those Forgotten bonds represent, which work towards restoring his true body and creating Ignoble Forgotten.

Fervor of the Last Star - Rubedo stores all Spell Damage he inflicts as Temporary Health until the start of his next turn. This temporary HP does not benefit from any of his resistances. Any amount of this shield that endures to expiry is restored to Rubedo as health. While this shield is active, any creature nearby Rubedo feels their body crawling as though thousands of tiny spiders are racing across their bare skin, even when fully clothed.

Curse of the Phantom Cat - Rubedo may, as a Bonus Action or a Reaction, transition between Phantom and Cosmic Metal form.

• As a Phantom, Rubedo gains AC and Spell Resistance, as well as Advantage against scrying and magic-based Saves.
• As Cosmic Metal, Rubedo gains Advantage versus all physical damage and physical-based Saves, as well as access to Cosmic Metal abilities.

Phantasmal Incognito - When Rubedo sustains fatal damage as a Cat, roll a d20. On 11 or higher, a new Cat with the same initiative manifests within 30 feet and the old one dissolves into pink mist that can only be identified as the remains of an Ignoble Forgotten.

Spiral Trigger - Rubedo may either cast a Catrip as well as a Base Ability as part of a Multiattack or one Cosmic Action.

Catrips

Innate abilities Rubedo may perform as extra actions as part of a multiattack if he is not using a Cosmic Action.

 

Phantasmal Jaunt - Powerslide to a location within 60ft. If currently a Phantom, you may pass through an opening as small as 2 inches in diameter.

 

Mind Fog - Conjure a 30ft cloud of venomous gas that attempts to poison the minds of enemies who start their turns within or pass through it. They must make a WIS save against a DC of 15, or become Mind Fogged and lose their Proficiency Bonus for the next minute. Additionally, Mind Fog inflicts Blindness upon those who stand within it except for Forgotten or those with Resistance versus Magic-based Blind effects.

 

Summon Forgotten - An Ignoble Forgotten emerges from a Mind Fog cloud. The Forgotten rolls for its own initiative.

 

Inspire - Attempts to overwhelm the mind of an enemy, instigating a DC 16 CHA save. Upon failure, they are overwhelmed by visions of the Golden Road and suffer the effects of Berserk. While berserk, you must use your action each round to Attack the creature nearest to you, except for Rubedo, with your currently equipped weapon(s). You may make an additional CHA save at the end of your following turns to shake free of the trance.

 

Nibble - As a Cosmic Metal cat, Rubedo may attempt to bite an enemy within 15ft using a phantom projection of his true body. Rubedo uses his Spell Attack (+14) for this attack, and the attack deals 1d8+1 damage and attempts to inject his victim with an agonizing venom, for which they perform a CON save against a DC of 14. For every stack of Mind-Wracking Poison, the target suffers from -3 to their Saves.

 

Base Abilities

Phantom Drill - Attempts to pierce the flesh of an enemy target in melee with a drill-shaped mental projection, dealing 8d6 Psychic damage. The target performs an INT save versus a DC of 14 for half damage.

Phantasmal Mire - Attempts to pull the organs and muscles of a living creature within 30ft out of its skin using vacuum-like psychic needles. The target makes a DC 16 CON save (Half Damage) versus 4d6 and 1 rank of Exhaustion. If an enemy is knocked unconscious with this attack they instantly die. Additionally, if an enemy is killed by this ability, or Rubedo uses it on a creature that has died within the last minute, an Ignoble Forgotten is created from their flesh and rolls for its own initiative. While Exhausted from this ability, a creature is considered Debuffed by Rubedo.

Phantom Sparks - Conjures 1d6 Phantom Sparks to hunt opponents. Rubedo may choose how many go to any single target. Range 40/120. Rubedo performs an Attack roll for each projectile, and each projectile deals 1d6+7 damage. When a Spark hits an opponent it embeds itself within them for one turn before dissolving, constituting as a Debuff. Dispel Magic can remove the Sparks or the afflicted unit can use an Action to remove them.

Reinmarch Opus - Rubedo gains Haste and sustains 2d20 damage at the end of every turn he benefits from this effect. This effect is discontinued if Rubedo returns to Phantom form and can only be used when Cosmic Metal. Rubedo sustains damage from the end of a turn even if he used that turn to transform and cancel the effect, but not if he transformed as a Reaction prior.

Gong of the First Beast - Rubedo can sense a bell in the liking of the Gong of the First Beast, be it one he has fabricated or the one at the Golden Throne, from any location, and can teleport to within 120ft of it as an Action so long as it is not within a warded location.

Clairvoyance - Rubedo may use this spell as an Action any number of times.

Cosmic Actions

Mind Spike - Rubedo's signature killing movement. Any enemy afflicted by one of Rubedo's mental debuffs can be attacked by Mind Spike - a psychic conduit that draws all conceptual contempt, doubt, and subconscious manifestations of fear and hate surrounding a psychic body into a spear-like projection that originates at the top of the target's brain that then attempts to split the brain in half using force equivalent to a focused supernova. They must roll an INT save versus a DC of 18. If they fail the save, they suffer 5d8 Psychic damage for every Debuff they possessed, and those debuffs are consumed and considered "successful" for any conditions they may have had. Once an opponent has been hit by this ability they have Advantage on saving against it in the future. If used against a willing target, Rubedo can prevent the destruction of their body and the surrounding terrain by use of surgical precision and instead destroy only the consciousness, suspending the creature in the Golden Road.

Double Gravity - Rubedo manipulates the gravity within 120ft around him, halving the effectiveness of range on enemy projectile weapons and ranged spells requiring attack rolls as well as forcing flying units to the ground. Lasts 1 minute.

Phantasmal Hunter - Summons a single Phantasmal Killer from within 5ft of Rubedo that seeks its prey until Rubedo's current body is destroyed. This unit will deal 12d8 Psychic damage if it lands an attack upon its target. Once it lands an attack on a target, the Phantasmal Killer dies. Only the prey can see the creature and attack it.

Liquid Motion Horde - (3/day) Draws the current zone closer to the Red Dream, and conjures 2d4 Ignoble Forgotten as well as 1d4 Red Mist within 60ft of Rubedo. The air becomes insufferably hot and toxic, and will Poison units that remain in an afflicted area for more than 5 minutes. If used 3 times in the same area, and Rubedo's true form is of sufficient strength, an area up to the size of 10km is drawn into the Red Dream. This ability may only be used when Rubedo is in Cosmic Metal form and when the Red Dream is active.